Bottle-capping machine.



E. J. STEWART.

'BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1915;

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEEP l.

E. J. STEWART. BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24; 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

Zia/e 721 /0 71 m Q E. J. STEWART.

BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY24,1915.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

4 SHEE-TSSHEET 3- pa idmwh E. 1. STEWART.

BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE. APPLICATION men MAY 24. 1915.

m M 9 km u mm m m U EDWARD J. STEWART, F BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS BOTTLE-CAPPIN G MACHINE.

Application filed May 24, 1915. Serial No. 30,015.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. STEWART,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented cerl tain new and useful Improvements in Bottle- Capping Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

This invention has reference to improvements in bottle cappingmachines and the invention relates particularly to mechanism for supplying and positioning the bottle caps 15 or crown caps, so called, in such manner that the caps may be received by or applied to the bottles.

One object of the invention is to so construct a bottle capping machine having a series of traveling capping heads that crown caps may be fed to and adjusted in the several heads while said heads are in motion whereby time is allowed for the adjustment of said caps from the point at which the caps are fed to said heads to the bottle capping station.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the frictional wear on the caps while in the machine.

Another object of the invention is to proride new and improved means for so assorting the caps that they may pass to the capping heads in correct positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means adapted to travel with the capping heads for adjusting the positions of the caps in the heads and for holding backthe next of a series of caps.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description.

The invention consists in the series of traveling capping heads or mechanisms for presenting the caps in capping position and in the means for adjusting caps in said heads while said heads are in motion.

The invention also consists in the means for feeding the caps forward from. the hoppers to the capping heads.

The invention also consists in the demountable cap receptacle and in the means for operating the same.

Th ir-ventien al o consi t in su h h r Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

novel features of construction and combination of parts as shall hereinafter be more fully described and pointed out in the claims. 7 Figure 1, represents a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in vertical section, of a bottle capping machineillustrating the present invention.

Fig. 2, represents an enlarged cross sectional view of parts of the same taken on line 2-2 Figs. 1 and 5. 1

Fig. 3, represents a similar view taken on line 33 Figs. 1 and 5.

Fig. 4, represents an enlarged sectional view of parts of one of the cap assorting mechanism taken on line M Fig. 5.

Fig. 5, represents a vertical sectional. view of parts of one of the hoppers and of its related cap assorting, cap delivering and cap positioning mechanism as taken on line 5-5 Fig. l.

,Fig. 6, represents'aface view of one of the cap dials and its related cap receiving conduit parts of the securing means being shown in section as taken on line'66 Fig. 4. Fig. 7, represents an enlarged plan view of portions of one of the cap positioning and hold back mechanism parts being shown in section as on line 7-7 Fig. 8.

Fig. 8, represents a vertical section as on line 8-8 Fig. 7. v Fig. 9, represents aview in elevation of parts of one of the cap delivery chutes and the cap hold back for holding the line of caps from feeding movement at times.

Fig. 10, represents a sectional view taken on line 10 -1O Fig. 9.

Fig. 11, represents a sectional view of the hoppers and other adjacent parts of the machine as taken on line 1111 Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

In the drawings, particularly in Fig. 1, this improved cap supplying mechanism is shown in relation to parts of a machine adapted to apply the caps to bottles. Itis to be understood that the means for applying caps to bottles and closing said caps on the bottles does not form part of the present invention although such mechanism may 00- operate With this improved means for supplying caps to a throat or to a DOSIU OII from w r a wh ch th p so supplied. may

downward at times be in some manner applied to bottles to constitute closures for said bottles. 7

As shown in the drawings whlch disclose .the invention in its preferred form 15 represents any suitable base, preferably closed, and having the step 16; and the lateral bearing 17 and furnished at its top with the table 18 having a central opening. In the step 16 is mounted the vertical spindle 19 which extends to and beyond the upper end ofthe machine to sustain certain parts of the machine which are fixed on said spindle and to constitute a shaft about which certain other parts of the machine rotate.

, 'ltotatable on the spindle 19 is the base member 20 having the bevel gear 21 which is driven by the bevel pinionz22 of the drive shaft which latter is journaled in the bearing 17 and is driven in any suitable manner. On the baseQO is mounted the sleeve 24 which embracesthe spindle 19 and sustains the carriermember which is free to rotate in the opening of the table 18. The base 20 and member 24 may carry or be provided with parts of any suitable bottle cap heads 30, 30 adapted to cooperate with the devices as 26-of the member 25, and a-b-ove the capping head member 29 is cam mem ber 31 which is fixed as regards rotation and has the peripheral cam 32 and the annular rack 33. V i

Mounted below the capping heads 30, 30 is the throat ring 34 having a series ot' throats 35, which are positioned relative to the axes of the respective capping heads 7 30, 30 and are sustained by members 36, 36

of said ring atpoints in registry with the mouths 3?, 3? of the can chute members 7 v 1 l 38, 33 which latter are PlYOlZdllY'CODHQObQCli to the said ring 1ne1nbers'36, 36 to be swung ,cribed- The members 36 of ring-34 constitute.

-partsof segmental plates 39, 39 whicliare to said ring 34-by-the studs 40, 40 carried *bylthering 34-andhaving the heads 41,41 adapted to be received by thekey'holeslots 42, 4205 said plates 39, 39.,- These plates clearly show-n in Fig. i, ii'emovably secured 39 39 have the radial channels 4343 of a size to receive a cap C andhavingv their nerends terminating in the recesses :36. ,1 36 -01 them'embers 36, 36: above the months 37, 37 of the chute'members 38, 38. which chute members form the bottoms {of said v channels 43,43 and are'curve d upward at the as will hereaiterbe de: I

outer ends of said channels as shown in Flg. 8.

, The upper outer edge portion of the ring 34 has the annular guide 44 the upper Wall of which has the curved slots 45, 45, Fig. 3, and the plates 39 are cut away to form clearances. In said guides 44, 44 are slidably mounted the curved slides 46, 46 having the rods 47, 47 extending through the curved slots 45, 45, the cap moving plates 48, '48 and the eaphold back and positioning elements 49, 49 having the fingers 50, 5O furnished with curved edges 51, 51 and with the clearances 52, 52 these parts being slid able'in the clearances of the plates 39'with reference to the recesses 36, 36 ot' the members 36, 36 so that from the position shown in Fig. 7, at which the element 49 is holding back a cap C, if the slide 46 be moved toward the left hand (toward the top of Fi 7 the curved end 51-01 the finger 50 will clear the cap which cap will then be engaged by the curved edge of the cap moving plate 48 and moved'forward in the channel 43 of the plate 39, such movement being permitted by i the open space between the curved end 51 of finger 50 and the edge of plate 48. Such meveinent of the cap by the edge of plate 48 preferably is not suflicient to wholly position the cap in the recess'36 over the mouth 37 and, on the'retractive movement of slide 46, the finger 50 acts against the circular body of the cap above the skirt of the cap accurately to position the cap C over themouth 3'? in whichposition the clearance will P61111111 the passage of the skirt of the cap w ien said cap is moved upward by the encarries the cap into As the finger 50 moves in the direction to push one cap into the recess 36 said finger passes between the cap so advanced and the next. of the line of caps partially entered in the channel 43,- the curved rear edge 510i said finger 501 facilitating the passage'of suehfinger between'said caps. withthe result that thelineot caps is held back out of interference with'the cap located in the capping-position,

Provision is made fol-actuating the slides 46, 46b meas ofitheir rods 47, 47. during the rotation of the capping head member 29 having the capping heads 30, 30. so that at the point d, Fig. 3, the plate48 moves forward the first of alms ofcaps, asiabove described, partially 111101221 recess 36.; at position the slide 46 ismovingretractively to advance the finger 50 to act :on said cap; at

position f such retractivev movement of fin ger 50 has approximatelycompleted the porsitieningrc-fisaid cap, and at position 9 the retraetivelimltof movement of slide46 with its parts 48 and 50 is reached and the 01cm mice-52 of' -fingeriil) 1s so related to the" cap genient therewith of a bottle neck which the cap closing threat 3?;

' of caps therefrom or for in the recess 36 that such cap may move upward past said finger with the ascendare carried by members of the capping heads 30, 30 and have bearings in which the vertical shafts 56,56 are journaled. These shafts 56, 56 have the'crank arms 57, 57 having the followers 58, 58 which bear against the periphery of the cam 32 which, it will be understood, is stationary so tary movement of the capping heads 30, 30 with the brackets 55, carrying the shafts 56, 56, cam 32 will act on said followers to effect the suitable rocking or rotary oscillation of-the shafts 56, 56. Such oscillatory movement of shafts 56, 56 is transmitted by the arms 59, 59, carried by said shafts, and by the pivoted connecting links 60, 60 to the crank arms 61, 61 of shafts 62, 62 which are journaled in bearings of the capping head member 29 between the capping'heads 30, 30 and have the crank arms 63, 63 connected by the pivoted links 64, 64 with the rods 47 47 of the slides 46, 46.

Brackets 55, 55 also carry the cap chute members 65, 65 with the lower ends of which the ends'of chute members 38, 38 are adapted to register when swung upward to their normal positions. The purpose of swinging said chute members 38, 38 downward to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8 is to permit of access at times to the recesses 36, 36 of members 36, 36 for the removal other purposes. When the chute members 38, 38 are in their normal positions it is necessary to sustain them in registery with the lower ends of chute members 65, 65 and for this purpose said chute members 65, 65 are furnished with the side plates 66, 66 having perforations to receive the pins 67 which are engaged in transverse perforations of the chute members 38.

Provision is made for automatically engaging and holding the caps from downward movement in the chute members 65, 65 when the chute members 38, 38 are out of alinement therewith and for automatically releasing the hold backs when said chute members 38, 38 are swung upward. This is accomplished by providing the lower wall of the chute members 65, 65 with openings 68, 68 and by supplying the hold backs 69,69

that in the ro' bolt holes 84, 84 to pivotally mounted between the plates 66, 66

and having the extensions 70,70 and springs 71, 71 which springs act to swing the free ends of the hold backs inward through the openings 68, 68 of chute members 65, 65 to engage, the first of'the lineof capsin said chute members as shown in 10 when the chute members 38, 38 are swung to their normal positions the fingers 38, 38 of said members 38, 38 act against the extensions 70,

70 of said hold backs 69, 69 to effect the swinging of said hold backs to the position shown in Fig; 8 to permit the caps to pass .down the chute members 65, 65.

Mounted on each of the brackets 55, 55 is I l a hopper 72 approximately segmental in cross sectional shape as shown in Fig. 11 and having the transverse bearing sleeve 73 and, below said sleeve, the face plate '74 having an opening between the points 75, 75, and preferably circular in shape, toward the bottonrof which opening the back wall 76 of said hopper is inclined. At the outer side of the face plate 74 is mounted the frame 77 having the opening 78 and the annular face recess 79 between the rib 80' and the way 81 which latter at one side of said frame 77 opens into the curved chute 82 having the downward extension 83 which communicates with the chute member 6 At the side portions of said frame, shown in section in Fig. 4', are radially extending receive the bolts 85, 85 which latter have the lips 86, 8 6 to engage thering 87 of the cap assorting dial 88. This dial 88 has the channel 89, to receive the rib80 of frame 77, and the hub 90 which is rotatable in the recess 79. The face of this dial 88 is dished or concaved and has the central opening 91 and the circular series of blocks 92, 92, spaced apart on said dial sufficiently to permit the passage therebetween of the body of a bottl cap and having reduced ends spaced from the member 93 of the cover 94 suiiiciently to permit the skirt of a bottle cap to pass whereby in order to .passbetween said blocks into the chute 82 said caps must have their skirts next to said Ine1nber'93 so that as said caps pass down chutes 83 and 68 they will be in the positions shown in Figs. 5 and 10.

In order to efiect rotation of the dials S8, 88 and their covers 94, 94 which together constitute cap receptacles I attach to said covers annular gears 95, 95 which are driven by the pinions '96, 96 of the shafts 97, 97 which latter are journaled in the bearings 73, 73 of the hoppers 72, 72 and have the gears 98, 98 meshing with the annular rack 33 whereby when said hoppers 72, 72 travel around the member 31 coincidently with the capping heads 30, 30 the gears 98, 98 are caused to rotate by their engagement with said" rack 33. Preferably the gears 95, 95

are protected by the gear cases 99, 99 and the pinions 96, .96 are protected by the gear 7 cases100, 100. I

By reference to the above description it will be seen that the main supplies of caps contained in the hoppers 72, 72 are not subjected to any disturbance or mixing of the caps by mechanismof any kind so that abrasive action by undue relative motion of the caps is eliminated. The caps in said hoppers 72, 72 simply moved downward by gravity until. said caps move through the large opening between the points 75, 75, and throughthe openings 7 8, 7 8 and 91, 91 and enter the rotary receptacles constituted by the dials 8,8, 88 and their covers 94E, 9%. The comparatively small number of caps in said rotary receptacles at any one time tends'to avoid undue wear on the caps particularly as the caps in said rotary receptacles are readily arranged or positioned to pass between the dial blocks 92, 92 into the chute members 82, 82 from whence they pass downward by gravity through the chute members 83, 68 and 38.

One of the important distinctions of this invention is that while having a single cap applying position or station this machine does not depend upon the placing and accurate positioning of a cap at such station during the removal of one bottle therefrom and the presentation thereto of the next bottle. As a matter of actual practice it is found that in machines having means for presenting bottles in succession to cap delivery or; cap applying means the limitation of speed is determined by the placing and careful adjustment of the caps. in the several heads rather than by the rapidity with which the bottles may be presented at the capping station, capped, and removed. When a single cap delivery device is utilized with one or more relatively moving capping heads it is evident that the speed of the machine must depend upon the time required to transfer the caps from the single point of supply to the capping heads in succession and, of most importance the accurate positioning of. saidcaps in said heads at such point of supply. a

Fig. 3 of the drawings, in. addition to its illustration of the mechanical parts shown, may be considered as diagrammatically illustrating the important feature justabove referred to. It will be seen that, by adjustment ofthe parts, any of the capping heads mayreceive a cap at any point in its path of travel and, after receiving said cap pro-' *vision for careful and accurate positioning .of the cap is such that the cap positioning operation may continue practically during the entire movement of the capping head from the cap, rece'ivingposition to the cap applying station. By reason of such methodcap receptacle composed of dial 88 and cover as the bolts 85, 85 are partially withdrawn and the dial '88 may then be removed for inspection or to permit access to the lower opening of the hopper 72;

The members 39, 39 may be readily removed from their holding devices 40,540 at times for examination and the chute members 38, 38 may be swung downward on occasion without permitting the caps in chute 65, 65 to j slide downward as saidcaps are held from such movement by the cap hold backs or re- 'tainers 69.

While I have herein shown a specific construction of my invention it is not thereby my intention to limit the same to the construction shown or to any specific construetion.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent. I I I 1. A bottle capping machine comprising a rotary series of capping heads, a cap hopper mounted on each of saidheads and having chutes delivering to said heads, and

means for ad usting the positions of the caps intheir passage from said hoppers to said heads.

2. A bottle capping machine comprlsmg a rotary series of capping heads having chutes,

a cap hopper mounted on each of said heads, and cap adjusting means receiving from said hoppers and delivering to said chutes.

3. A bottle capping machine comprising a rotary series of capping heads having chutes, a cap hopper mounted'on each of said heads, a rotary cap adjusting means associated with each of said hoppers and delivering to said chutes, and means for effecting rotation of said adjusting means. i l. A bottle capping machine comprising rotary series of capping heads having chutes, a cap hopper mounted on each of said heads, a rotary. cap adjusting means associated with each ofsaid hoppers anddehoppers and deliveringrto said chutes, said cap adjusting means having gears, shafts journaled in. bearlngs and having pinions engaging said gears, and means for effecting the rotation of said shafts under rotary movement of said hoppers.

6. A bottle capping machine comprising a rotary'series of capping heads having chutes, a rotary series of cap hoppers, and rotary cap adjusting means receiving from said hoppers and delivering to sald chutes, said adjusting means provided with dials having radial passages adapted to permit the passage of the cap bodies when the caps are of said chutes, a dial member rotatable in said frame and having a series of spaced blocks, a cover member carried by said dial and spaced from the faces of the blocks thereof, and means for operating said dial to effect adjustment of the caps to positions for the bodies of said caps to pass between said blocks.

9. A bottle capping machine comprising a rotary series of capping heads having chutes, a hopper carried by each of said heads and having a lower vertical delivery opening, an annular frame partially closing said opening and having an annular bearing and achute communicating with said first mentioned chute, a cap adjusting dial rotatably and removably journaled in said annular way and having cap adjusting passages, a

cover member cooperating with said dial to form a cap receptacle, and releasable means for securing said dial in position.

10. A capping machine comprising a capping head having a mouth constituted by a fixed member and a pivoted chute member, a slotted chute spaced from said mouth and adapted to receive the end of said chute member, plates secured to said chute, a pin carried by said plates to sustain the end of said chute member, a spring actuated cap hold-back mounted between said plates and adapted to extend through said slotted chute, and cooperating means on said hold-back and on said chute member to normally retain said hold-back in the inoperative position.

11. A bottle capping machine comprising a capping head having a mouth and a channel communicating with said mouth, and a member mounted to slide transversely of said channel and having a pair of means spaced apart to permit the passage of a cap therebetween, one of said means adapted in one movement of said member to move forward a cap in said channel past the other of said means, the latter means acting at times to hold back a cap.

12. A bottle capping machine comprising a capping head having a mouth and a channel communicating with said mouth, and a member mounted to slide transversely of said channel and having a pair of means adapted to operate in succession on acap in said channel, one of said means operating to move forward said cap toward said mouth, the other of said-means operating to position said cap relative to said mouth.

13. A bottle capping machine comprising a capping head having a mouth and a channel communicating with said mouth, and

p a member mounted to slide transversely of said channel and having a pair of means adapted to operate in succession on a cap in said. channel, one said means operating to move forward said cap toward said mouth, the other of said means operating to position said cap relative to said mouth, said second means having a clearance to permit the upward movement of the cap so positioned. V

14. A bottle capping machine comprising a capping head having a mouth and a channel communicating with said mouth, and a member mountedto slide transversely of said channel and having a pair of means adapted to operate in in said channel, one of said means operating to move forward said cap toward said mouth, the other of said means operating to position said cap relative to said mouth and to hold back another cap in said channel.

15. A bottle capping machine comprising a capping head having a mouth, a channel communicating with said mouth and a guide intersecting said channel, a slide movable in said channel and having a cap pushing device and a finger having its end spaced from said pushing device, said finger constituting a cap positioning means and a cap hold-back.

16. bottle capping machine comprising a capping head having a mouth, a channel communicating with said mouth and a guide intersecting said channel, a slide movable in said channel and having a cap pushing device and a finger having its end spaced from said.pushing device, said finger having a rear curved edge and a clearance opening at its front edge.

17. A bottle capping machine comprising a rotary series of capping heads, each of said heads having a cap positioning means, and means for operating said positioning succession on a cap means while said capping heads are in mo-' means related to each of means progressively While said capping heads are in motion.

19. A bottle capping machine comprising a rotary series of capping heads and a cap ping station, means to deliver caps to said heads, means related to each of said heads for adjusting caps so delivered, and mechanism to progressively operate said cap adjusting means during the movement of said heads from the cap taking point toward said. capping station.

20. A bottle capping machine comprising a rotary series of capping heads, a capping station, means to deliver caps to said heads after said heads pass said capping station,

said heads for positioning caps in said heads and for holding back other caps, and means for operating said positioning and hold back means.

21. A bottle capping machine comprising a rotary series of capping heads, means for delivering caps to said heads, mechanism related to each of said heads and operating progressively during the rotation of said heads to first move the caps into said heads and second to adjust the position of said caps in said heads.

22. A bottle capping machine comprising a rotar 1 series of capping heads, a cap supplying chute for each of said heads, a cap positioning means for each of said heads, said positioning means operating to take a cap supplied from said chute, to push said cap into the capping head, to position said cap, and to hold back caps in said chute.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for A bottle capping machine comprising a rotary series of capping headseach having a bottle neck receiving mouth and a throat, means for supplying caps independently to all of said heads, and cap pushing and positioningmeans operatively mounted between said mouth and said throat of each of said heads.

A bottle capping a series of capping machine comprising heads, cap delivery chutes for each of said heads, cap positionand means ing means for each of said heads, for operating all of said cap positioning means simultaneously in different stages to progressively receive caps from said chutes and to position said caps in said heads.

25. A bottle capping machine comprising a rotary series of capping heads each having a mouth and a cap channel leading to said mouth, slidahle cap positioning means adapted to operate on caps in said chan- EDWARD J. STEWART.

fivecents each by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C.

-nels, and organized means for operating 7 

